Losing a great Puppeteer
by JoeyHensonInteractiveMedia
Summary: This story takes place in the LeapFrog version. I always wondered why Kermit misses being performed by Jim Henson. In reality, Kermit's got Scooter, Gonzo, Fozzie, Sam the Eagle, Miss Piggy, and his other Muppets, but in Jeremy Frogtable's imagination, he's a Muppet frog stuck in the LeapFrog version. The wheels in my head started to turn and this came out! Enjoy!


Kermit the Frog has not been himself for a few days. The Muppet frog thought nobody would have noticed his sudden change in mood, not knowing a certain cool green little frog was noticing his pain as well.

Leap didn't know much about his own life as he was in LeapFrog: Code Word Caper with Lily, Tad, Professor Quigley, and Mr. Frog, but he did know that it wasn't right for Kermit to be so upset about something. Something that he didn't want to share with the rest of them.

"Dad?" Leap asked his dad named Mr. Frog. "Why is Kermit so sad?"

"Huh?" Mr. Frog looked up disinterestedly at Leap from his work of fixing the letters back together.

Leap sighed, annoyed. "Kermit's been sad, Dad, and I don't know why!"

"Oh, he's just missing Jim Henson." Mr. Frog replied nonchalantly, going back to his work.

"Jim Henson?" Leap said, puzzled. "Is that one of Kermit's old muppet friends?"

Mr. Frog snickered as he shook his head in amusement. "No, Leap. Jim Henson was a puppeteer. He used to perform every Muppet character before he made Sam & Friends in 1955."

"I thought Kermit was the only puppeteer around." Leap said, surprised to know that Jim Henson performed Kermit the Frog after he died in 1990.

Mr. Frog sighed, putting the letters back in the conveyor belt.

"It's a long story, Leap." Mr. Frog explained. "But it's one without a happy ending."

Leap looked confused. "I-I thought he performed us." he said, hurt.

"Sorry." Mr. Frog reassured Leap. "But Kermit doesn't perform any frogs, Kermit was only performed by Jim Henson, but sometimes...sometimes we miss Jim Henson as well.

Mr. Frog stood up and looked at Leap, a distant look in his eyes. "We had so many memories of Jim Henson. When we found out that Jim Henson died..." before Mr. Frog could finish, he trailed off, putting a hand over his mouth.

"Uh, excuse me, I have to go."

Mr. Frog brushed past Leap, heading the other way.

"Go to him, Leap." Mr. Frog said, looking back at the frog. "Kermit's known Jim Henson much longer than I have, and from what you said it's been killing him on the inside."

"What about you, Dad?" Leap asked, his eyes filled with worry for his dad.

"Don't worry about me." Mr. Frog said with a wave of his hand. "I'll be alright. I just need a moment alone."

Leap still looked at Mr. Frog worriedly, but respected his wishes as he left him on his own to search for Kermit.

Leap spotted Kermit sitting on a hill near the outside of the Letter Factory. Kermit had his eyes filled with tears, and his hands were wrapped around his head.

"Kermit?" Leap called out as he sat near the sad, sad frog.

Kermit sniffed, and looked at Leap, a broken expression on his face.

"What." he said, dully.

Leap bit his lip, and continued. I know you miss Jim Henson. I know you're probably sad..."

"Heh. Sad is an understatement, Leap."Kermit said, sardonically. "I've known Jim Henson ever since I was a lizard. Imagining all of the commercials with Muppets on them and the Sam & Friends cartoon brought me a sort of charm to it." Kermit smiled fondly at the memories coming to mind.

"When Rowlf was at The Jimmy Dean Show in 1965, I never thought it would be the first time Rowlf the Dog was performed by Jim Henson. I thought I was on there. The many times I tried pinching myself awake, only to find out it was reality..."

Kermit stopped as he started to tremble, tears trailing down his cheeks.

Leap immediately hugged the hurt frog, nuzzling him on his wet cheek.

"I-I miss Jim Henson, Leap." Kermit sobbed, leaning in towards the other frog's hold. "I miss him so much."

"But you got us, Kermit."

Kermit looked at Leap, confusion on his tear-filled face.

"You have Lily, Tad, Professor Quigley, the letters, Mr. Frog, and Mrs. Frog, and me with you. Didn't you say one time that Jim Henson is who you were performed in 1955 to 1990?"

"I guess I did." Kermit chuckled lightly.

"So... you are a puppet, Kermit."

Leap tilted his head, and licked away any tears still on Kermit's face.

Kermit began giggling, feeling ticklish where Leap was licking him.

"Oh, Leap..."

Kermit pulled the green frog into a tighter hug, planting a light kiss on his nose.

"Thank you for being with me, little buddy. You don't know how much I needed someone like you, around."


End file.
